J&K: Despite 57% surge in women candidature from 2014, only 5% in fray
For the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir elections, out of the 908 nominations accepted by the election authorities 44 are that of women.
The number of women candidates fighting assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir has increased by 57% this time in comparison to 2014 assembly elections, Election commission of India (ECI) data reveals. Despite that, of the total candidates who are in the fray, only 5% of them are women.

For the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir elections, out of the 908 nominations accepted by the election authorities 44 are that of women.
The data reveals that eight women are in the fray in the first phase, six in second phase and 30 in the third and last phase.
Of the 90-seat assembly, the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in a decade will be held in three phases on September 18 and 25 and October 1 to decide the fate of 24, 26 and 40 assembly constituencies respectively. This is also the first assembly polls in the restive region since its special status and statehood were scrapped five years ago and is likely to be the last step before the Union territory’s statehood is restored.
In 2014 elections, 28 women had fought in the elections out of the total 831 candidates fighting for 87 assembly constituencies. However, only two women – Asea Naqash of PDP and Shamim Firdous of NC – had emerged victorious in Srinagar.
“There is some forward movement in women participation this time in terms of candidates since last elections. More educated women are coming forward and are utilising their rights. That means there is some level of political awareness and women empowerment,” said Shamim Firdous, who has served as legislator three times in J&K assembly.
Although the number of women candidates this time has increased by 57% from 28 in 2014 to 44 in 2024, the numbers still present a stark gender disparity.
The women voters, in contrast to the number of contesting candidates, comprise over 43.13 lakh out of the total 88.03 lakh voters these elections, according to Jammu and Kashmir’s chief electoral officer. In Srinagar city, there are more women voters than men in some of the segments.
While some of the women candidates among these are prominent names or former legislators like Shamim Firdous, Sakina Itoo, Asea Naqash and Iltija Mufti, many are new comers or are fighting as Independents. For the first time in Kashmir elections, a few migrant Kahsmiri pandit women are also in the fray from the valley.
Daisy Raina
Daisy Raina is the first among a few Pandit women who have filed their nominations in this election in Kashmir. She is fighting from Rajpora seat in south Kashmir’s erstwhile militant hub of Pulwama. The 56-year old Raina is a social worker and has been given a mandate by the Republic Party of India (Athawale). A resident of Trichal Pulwama, Raina has done her graduation in arts from Women’s College, Anantnag.
Raina had left Kashmir in early 1990s when she was in college and militancy started and had always dreamed of coming back. She returned with her husband in 2020 and fought sarpanch elections in 2020 and was elected unopposed as Trichal sarpanch. She is now canvassing for assembly elections. “Slowly people have accepted me as they see my work. My belief is that nobody can beat us when Hindus and Muslims unite together in Kashmir. There have been people who used us and divided us based on religion,” she said.
She is going door to door and feels people are more concerned about the issues of unemployment, roads, electricity and water.
“We have to work for our children. On the ground I see youth who studied despite the guns blazing and stone pelting and now there are no jobs for them,” she said.
Bibi Asiya
Bibi Asiya, a resident of Uri on Line of Control in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, has filed her nominations from Uri constituency as an Independent candidate. The 37-year-old home maker, who is bachelor in arts and has also done BEd, has decided to make a plunge into politics despite her family’s opposition.
She said that she wanted to change the situation of unemployed educated youth in her constituency. “There are a lot of youth in Uri who have done graduation and post-graduation but are without jobs. They are forced to sell snacks or vegetables on the roadside. Seeing this I have decided to enter into politics which most women don’t feel inclined towards,” she said.
She said that her husband, a teacher, was trying to convince her against the decision. “I am educated and am working on my home. I told him that I want to make a change for my community. “When women can change a house, why can’t they change the political situation of their state,” she said.
She said that the politicians who have been sent to assembly from Uri have often become ‘invisible’ once coming to power.
Afroza Bano
Afroza Bano, 37, is a resident of Behibagh Kulgam and has entered into fray from Kulgam constituency, a stronghold of CPIM leader MY Tarigami. Bano, a homemaker, became the chairperson of block development council (BDC), Behibagh, in 2020. When the BDC elections were going on, unidentified persons attacked her home as the valley was reeling under anger post the abrogation of Article 370. She has since been living under constant security in Srinagar.
A matriculate with no presence on social media, Bano believes that nothing is impossible when a person decides to do it.
“Win or loss is secondary, what matters are the efforts one puts into the process. It is not always possible that a person gets everything in one go,” she said.
Bano is going door to door in her area of influence with help from her husband, who is a farmer. “I want help people like when I was chairperson BDC. I would spend funds on development and on poor people and on civic issues like drains and street lights. I don’t talk against anybody and keep on doing my work for the welfare of people,” she said.
Santosh Labroo
Santosh Labroo, a Kashmiri migrant pandit, is fighting from north Kashmir’s Baramulla seat, one of the few areas of Kashmir which are strongholds of Jamaat-e-Islami. The 68-year-old film maker, a resident of Bul Bul Lanker Khanyar, Srinagar, had left Kashmir during the 1990s and had been visiting the place on and off. A postgraduate in history from Kashmir University, she has been running a school when she felt to do something more for the people. Part of the local J&K All Alliance Democratic Party in north Kashmir; Labroo says that she is a common Kashmiri with no political background.
“I used to come often and have seen people unhappy of the traditional mainstream parties. Not only pandits, the Kashmiris Muslim have also suffered all these years. There is a lot of poverty,” she said.
She has been going door to door in her constituency and has been concerned about unemployment. “I visited many places in Baramulla and a major thing for people is that there are no jobs for youth. Where will they go,” she said.
“For 70 years, the politicians did nothing; I went to pandits as well as Muslims. They are earning from hand to mouth,” she said.
